Instrument Maker

Every instrument is the result of an instrument maker’s meticulous designing, testing, and crafting to give performers the best playing experience possible. Whether an instrument is fabricated at a large factory plant or designed in a small workshop, instrument makers are involved in every step of an instrument’s creation and the range of their expertise reflects this.

It is as much an artform as a trade; instrument makers are experienced in performance, metalworking, woodworking, fabrication, design, heavy machinery operation, chemistry, physics, and much more. The best instrument makers are as passionate and ambitious about music as they are the craft, constantly seeking to improve upon an instrument’s design, efficiency, and beauty while maintaining its unique character.

A career in this field begins with an apprenticeship under a master instrument maker or internship in a large instrument making facility. Instrument makers in smaller workshops are often composed of a core team of experts who work on an instrument from its conception to its sale. These makers will have experience in many different aspects of creating instruments, while employees of larger instrument factories will usually specialize in a particular aspect.

Musicians who enjoy working with their hands, problem solving, creativity, and acquiring new skill sets have the potential to become excellent instrument makers. This is also a great career option for those who want to apply their studies in fields like math and science towards music.

(If you are interested in creating classical stringed instruments specifically, see Luthier.)